Bâlea Lake

Lacul Bâlea
Bâlea Lake, October 2006
Location	Făgăraș Mountains
Coordinates	45°36′07″N 24°37′01″E / 45.602°N 24.617°E / 45.602; 24.617Coordinates: 45°36′07″N 24°37′01″E / 45.602°N 24.617°E / 45.602; 24.617
Type	periglacial
Basin countries	Romania
Max. length	360 m (1,180 ft)
Max. width	190 m (620 ft)
Surface area	4.7 ha (12 acres)
Average depth	11.35 m (37.2 ft)
Surface elevation	2,034 m (6,673 ft)

Bâlea Lake (Romanian: Lacul Bâlea or Bâlea Lac, pronounced [ˈbɨle̯a]) is a glacier lake situated at 2,034 m of altitude in the Făgăraș Mountains, in central Romania, in Cârțișoara, Sibiu County. There are two chalets opened all the year round, a meteorological station and a mountain rescue (Salvamont) station. It is accessible by car on the Transfăgărășan road during the summer, and the rest of the year by a cable car from the "Bâlea Cascadă" chalet.

In 2006, the first ice hotel in Eastern Europe was built in the vicinity of the lake.

Aerial view

Bâlea lake and chalet

Bâlea chalet